Batch extraction rinse



y 1962 J. c. SMITH ETAL 3,04

BATCH EXTRACTION RINSE Filed April 13, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 g i .1. 0000000 00000 OOOOOOOO'UOO 0000000000 0 000 July 24, 1962 J. c. SMITH ETAL BATCH EXTRACTION RINSE Filed April 13, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FdWi/l 5521 511004,-

AT 0M July 24, 1962 J. c. SMITH ETAL. 3,046,081

BATCH EXTRACTION RINSE Filed April 13, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ooomooooom 0000000 INVENTORS. 658 Jae/1' vi& BYE'an/in 51 Ella/ma,

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July 24, 1962 J. c. SMITH ETAL BATCH EXTRACTION RINSE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 13, 1959 FIG. 10

. if a s r This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus and method for the dry cleaning of fabric materials. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in a solvent rinse system for a dry cleaning apparatus and to the method of its application to the dry cleaning of fabric materials.

in conventional dry cleaning apparatus wherein a twobath system of cleaning is provided, there are required two complete and separate cleaning cycles in order to effect a complete and thorough washing and rinsing of garments or other articles to be dry cleaned. Customarily, garments or similar articles are first washed by immersion in a solvent that has been relatively highly charged with soap. After immersion in the aforesaid soap solution for a predetermined period of time, the soap solution is drained from the immersion bath and the articles being dry cleaned are then subjected to an extraction process whereby the solvent remaining therein, together with its charge of soap, are extracted from the garments. Upon completion of the foregoing extraction process the garments or other articles to be cleaned are then again washed by immersion in a rinse solvent solution preferably charged with from 3% to .5 of soap. Upon expiration of an optimum period of time for immersion in such rinse solution, the immersion bath is again drained and the garments or other articles to be cleaned are again subjected to an extraction process in order to remove from the aforesaid garments or articles the rinse solvent remaining therein.

For the accomplishment of the cleaning cycles as aforedescribed, the conventional two-bath dry cleaning apparatus is provided with two complete and separate circuits for the alternate circulation of soap solvent solution and rinse solvent solution within the apparatus between reservoirs provided for the separate storage of the two solutions and the container, or tub, provided for the washing process. In the past it has been necessary to include Within each circuit a filtration apparatus for the removal from the respective solvents of soil extracted from the articles cleaned thereby.

Additionally, since the concentration of the residual soap in the rinse solvent is critical, i.e. since the aforesaid concentration must not exceed 5% nor be less than .3% for optimum dry cleaning effectiveness, it has heretofore been necessary not only to perform frequent checks for determining the level of concentration of soap in the rinse solvent, but also to control the rate of distillation of the aforesaid solvent with the utmost care in order to maintain the concentration of soap therein within the required limits.

in the multi-cyclic process of dry cleaning, the dura tion of the time period allowed for the running of the several cycles, in particular, those comprising the soap wash, the rinse wash and extraction, depends upon and varies with the weight of the load introduced into the machine for cleaning. It will be evident, therefore, that in the practical day-to'day use of multi-cyclic dry cleaning apparatus of the kind hereinbefore discussed, the utility, efiiciency and economy of operation thereof is proportional to the total period of time required for running each of the various load sizes through the stages of its respective set of operational cleaning cycles.

We have discovered a novel method, hereinafter to be Bfithflfil Patented July 24, 1962 more fully described, for the spray rinse washing of garments and other fabric materials in a dry cleaning machine provided with novel elements adapted to the use of the aforesaid method, whereby the spray rinse cycle can be partially combined with an extraction cycle so that the periods of time for running each of the cycles overlap, thereby reducing the total period of time required for running a complete set of cleaning cycles for any given load size.

Moreover, the extraction spray rinse, as constructed and used in accordance with this invention, overcomes, in a manner which will become more fully apparent hereinafter, many of the previously cited disadvantages of the conventional two-bath dry cleaning apparatus While affording the same flexibility of operation and the same quality of dry cleaning performances obtained heretofore.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for the effective and thorough dry cleaning of fabric materials and the like, whereby the total period of time required for the completion of the several cycles in the multi-cyclic process of dry cleaning is substantially reduced.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved dry cleaning apparatus wherein the production capacity of said apparatus is significantly increased Without increasing the size thereof.

it is another object of this invention to provide an improved dry cleaning apparatus and method wherein a supply of clean solvent for the rinse washing of fabric materials is available at all times without the inclusion of apparatus for the filtration thereof.

it is another object of this invention to provide an improved dry cleaning apparatus wherein the necessity for the maintenance of a carefully controlled rate of distillation of rinse solvent has been entirely eliminated.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved dry cleaning apparatus and method wherein garmerits and other articles to be cleaned may be subjected to a single cycle of rinsing operations without prior subjection to any other cycle of the dry cleaning process.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved dry cleaning apparatus and method wherein a novel spray rinse is provided to effect a complete and thorough rinsing of fabric materials or similar articles without the necessity of immersing the aforesaid materials or articles in a rinse bath as conventionally provided heretofore.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved dry cleaning apparatus and method wherein the residual soap concentration of the rinse solvent remaining in the garments after the spray rinse operation is maintained within the optimum limits for dry cleaning effectiveness without the necessity for the continual determination and adjustment of said soap concentration of rinse solvent.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through the dry cleaning apparatus, as constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the drum with parts broken away in order better to illustrate its construction.

FIG. 2 is a View in cross-section of the apparatus taken as indicated by the lines and arrows of IIII which appear in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the interior of the dry cleaning drum partly broken away in order better to illustrate important details.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in plan of the nozzle holder as constructed in accordance with this invention.

ap iaoei FIG. 5 is a view in section of the apparatus taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VV which appear in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view in section of the apparatus taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VI-Vl which appear in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view in section of the apparatus taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VII-VII which appear in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a view in section of the apparatus taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VHF-Jill which appear in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a view in section of the apparatus taken as indicated by the lines and arrows IX-IX which appear in FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic drawing of the dry cleaning apparatus as constructed in accordance with this invention.

The following description is directed to the specific form of the apparatus as shown in the drawings and is not intended to be addressed to the scope of the invention itself which is capable of being practiced in a wide variety of forms and arrangements.

Adverting herewith to the specific form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the number it designates an impervious housing or tub formed by the top wall ll, the downwardly slanted bottom wall 12, front wall 13, rear Wall 14, and side walls and 16. Housing 10 is supported on legs 18 and 19 formed integrally therewith. An outer loading door 20 is positioned in the front wall 13 of the housing 14?, and at the bottom part of the front wall 13 of the housing 10, adjacent the bottom wall 12, there is located an outlet Zll leading to a drain 22. Exterior to the housing in and located forwardly and rearwardly thereof are the pillow blocks 23 and 24, respectively, supported on frames 27 and 23 constructed adjacent the front and rear exterior walls 13 and 14, respectively. Iournalled Within the pillow blocks 23 and 24 and extending all the way through the housing 19, through a sleeved opening 3% in the front wall 13 and a similar opening 31 in the rear wall 14, is a shaft 32 of a drum 33 arranged to rotate within the housing it The drum 33 comprises a perforate cylinder 34 and end walls 37 and 38 towards the front and rear of the dry cleaning apparatus, respectively. Positioned in the front wall 37 of drum 33 are inner loading doors 39 and 40, arranged to coincide alternately with the outer loading door 20 in the front Wall 13 of housing it? as the drum is rotated about the axis of shaft 32. Surrounding shaft 32 exterior of the drum 33 and disposed adjacent the walls 37 and 38, respectively, of drum 33 are the tapered bushings 42 and 43. Shaft 32 is extended exterior of wall 14 of housing 10 to connect at its distal end with a rotary unit 44 positioned rearwardly of housing ll Also rearwardly of housing it and intermediate said housing and the rotary union 44 is a drive wheel 45 afiixed to the shaft 32 and provided with belts and 47 for the variable rotation of the aforesaid shaft and the drum 33-. The shaft 32 is provided with a central longitudinal bore 5t) extending through the interior thereof from the geometric center of drum 33 to the distal end of shaft 32 connecting with the rotary union 44 where the bore 50 is in communication with a pump discharge pipe 51.

The Rinse Solvent Circuit Apparatus Dividing the drum 33 into two equal volumetric parts is the perforate separating wall 52 extending across the center of said drum in a plane parallel to and intersecting the axis of the drum shaft 32. Formed at the opposite ends of perforate separating wall 5?. and abutting the perforate cylinder 34 at each end are the flanges 54 and 55. The aforesaid flanges are secured to the perforate cylinder 34 by rivets 56. Separating wall 52 is further provided with flanges abutting the front end and rear end walls 37 and 38 of the drum 33 to which said flanges are similarly secured, as before. Perforate separating wall 52 is formed of a single cast piece having formed in the center thereof a sleeve 53 which surrounds the shaft 32 of drum 33 and which rotates therewith. Inwardly from the end walls 37 and 38 of drum 33 a cylindrical annular space 5? is provided between the sleeve 58 and shaft 32, said space being formed by a narrowing of the inside diameter of the sleeve 58. The space 59 appears as an annular space when shown in cross-section, as in FIGS. 2, 6, 8 and 9. Shaft 32 is further provided with a bore of radially positioned at the geometric center of drum 33 perpendicular to the direction of the longitudinal bore 5d of shaft 32 and communicating therewith. The radial bore 60 further communicates with the cylindrical annular space 59 between the shaft 32 and sleeve 58. Radial ports 61, 62, and 63, communicating with cylindrical annular space 59, are provided in the sleeve 58 disposed serially along the length thereof in equally spaced relation. On the other side of the separating wall 52, opposite the aforesaid ports in sleeve 58, are the radial ports 61a, 62a, and 63a, likewise in communication with cylindrical annular space 5h.

Secured by screws to the sleeve 58 on opposite sides of separating wall 52 are nozzle holders 66 and 66a which extend longitudinally of sleeve 58 so as to encompass the radial ports fill, 62, 63, and 61a, 62a, and 63a, respectively. As best seen in FIG. 7, radial ports 61, 62, and 63 communicate respectively with cavities 67, 6S, and 69 in nozzle holder 66 and similarly radial ports 61a, 62a and 63a communicate with cavities 67a, 68a and 69a in nozzle holder es. Nozzle holders 66 and 66a are arranged to extend parallel to, but spaced apart from, separating wall 52. Disposed in threaded sockets provided for that purpose on the undersurface of the aforesaid nozzle holders, adjacent separating wall 52, are nozzles 71, 72, and 73, each having a bore 76 communicating respectively with cavities 67, 68, and 69 in nozzle holder 66, and nozzles 71a, 72a, and 73a likewise having a bore communicating respectively with cavities 67a, 63a, and 69a in nozzle holder 66a. As best seen in FIG. 5, the tips of nozzles 71, 72, and 73 are each disposed in a generally rectangular space 76 which opens into a widening spray orifice 77, of generally frusto-conical shape when seen in cross-section. By reason of their position in the nozzle holders, the aforesaid nozzles are oriented to spray fiuid away from the nozzle holders towards the separating wall 52.

As may be seen in FIG. 1, a rinse solvent pump 78 is provided exterior of the housing 10 in connection with the aforementioned pump discharge pipe 51 communicating with the central bore 50 of shaft 32 of the rotary union 44. Intermediate of the aforesaid rotary union &4 and rinse pump 78, in the line 51, are positioned a strainer 79 and a check valve 80. Also in connection with rinse pump 78 is another pipe 81 leading out of a tank 82 which serves as a reservoir for the rinse solvent used in the dry cleaning operation.

As may best be seen in the diagrammatical drawing of the apparatus according to thi invention shown in FIG. 10, the drain pipe 22 connected with the outlet 21 in the housing ill, joins diverter piping 84 leading through a motor operated valve 85 to a still 86. The still 86 which normally contains an evaporating and condensing chamber, and the rinse tank 82 are connected by the pipe 87.

Soap Solvent Circuit Apparatus Positioned in the diverter piping 84 on the side of drain pipe 22 opposite the rinse solvent side, are motor operated valves 90 and 91. Intermediate the aforesaid motor operated valves 90 and 91 another section of diverter piping, section 92, joins the piping 84. Both the pipe section (54 and the pipe section 92 lead into the upper portion of a button trap 93. Button trap 93 opens in turn at the bottom thereof into a tank 94, which is a reservoir for the soap solvent used in the wash cycle of the apparatus in accordance with this invention. A soap pump pick-up pipe 95 leads out of the tank 94 into the soap pump 96, which is in turn connected through a pipe section 97 to a filter 98, normally supplied with a filter aid for the filtration of soap solvent. Another pipe section 99 leads from the aforesaid filter 98 into the housing Ill. Connecting with pipe 99, intermediate of the filter 98 and the housing 10, is another section of diverter piping 100 leading back to the soap solvent tank 94. Positioned in the pipe section 199 is a motor operated valve 101, and positioned in the pipe 99 intermediate the juncture of pipe 99 and diverter piping 100 is another motor operated valve 102.

Operation It will be clear that the operation of the dry cleaning apparatus, as hereinafter described, i facilitated by the use of a variety of conventional timer and switch controls, not illustrated in the diagrammatic drawing of FIG. 10. To start the dry cleaning apparatus through its se ries of operational cycles, with the motor operated valve 102 in closed position, the soap pump 96 is energized by a suitable switch provided for that purpose. By the action of the pump 96, soap solvent, preferably having a concentration of soap of approximately 4% by volume, is drawn upward from the soap solvent tank 94 through the pick-up pipe 95 and directed through pipe 97 into the soap filter 98. From the soap filter 98, the soap solvent enters the pipe 99, passes into pipe 160, through motor operated valve 101 and returns again to the soap solvent tank 94 through sweep piping 103 equipped with nozzles 194 which effectively direct solvent fiow across the bottom of the tank 94 toward pump pick-up pipe 95 and thereby prevent any settling of solid soils to the tank bottom. During this period of filtration, motor operated valves 99 and 91 in the diverter piping 84 are kept open and motor operated valve 35 in the diverter piping 84 is kept in a closed position.

Garments or other articles to be cleaned are divided into two equal parts and placed into the two equal volumetric cavities of the drum 33 formed by the separating wall 52 through outer loading door 20 and the two inner loading doors 39 and 40.

After closing the inner doors 39 and 4t} and the outer door 20, the cleaning cycle begins with the setting of automatic control devices to effect a predetermined wash cycle and a predetermined rinse cycle appropriate to the weight of the load placed in the drum 33.

Motor operated valves 91 and 191 in the diverter piping 84 and in the pipe 190, respectively, automatically close, and the valve 102 in the pipe 99 automatically opens. Soap solvent is now directed through valve 102 in pipe 99 into the container or tub 10, whence it passes through the outlet 21 into the drain pipe 22, then to diverter piping 84, through motor operated valve 90, into diverter piping 92, whence it passes to the button trap 93 and from there returns again to the soap tank 94. The height of the overflow diverter pipe 92 controls the solvent level within the housing or tub 10.

The afore-described flow continues for the duration of the soap wash during which time the drum 33 revolves within the housing It at a constant wash speed. When the automatic timing device, as conventionally provided with cyclic dry cleaning apparatus, has driven its cams to the drain position, the soap pump 96 is automatically de-energized, thereby allowing the filter aid to fall from the tubes provided within the soap filter 93. Motor operated valves 91 in the diverter piping 84, and 101 in the diverter piping 100, respectively, now automatically open, and motor operated valve 192 in the piping 99 automatically closes. Soap solvent flows from the impervious housing through outlet 21 into drain piping 22, then into diverter piping 84, through valves 99 and 91 into button trap 93, from which the solvent returns 6 finally to the storage tank 94. The drum 33 continues to rotate at wash speed throughout the drain period.

Upon the expiration of the time allowed for the draining of the soap solvent solution, preferably a period of about one and one-half minutes, the drum 33 is gradually accelerated to a speed suitable for the extraction of soap solvent from the garments or other articles to be cleaned, and preferably continues thereat for a period of about three minutes. At the beginning of the soap extraction, the soap pump is re-energized to reform the filter aid on the tubes contained within the soap filter.

Upon the completion of the soap extraction cycle, mo tor operated valve in diverter piping 34 opens, and simultaneously the motor operated valve in the aforesaid diverter piping 84 closes. The rinse pump 78 is thereupon energized and continues to operate for the predetermined time allowed for the particular load size selected for cleaning. The extraction motor is die-energized preferably for about one minute at the beginning of the spray rinse cycle and following this period of de-energization is alternately energized and tie-energized preferably at approximately 20 second intervals for the balance of the time that the rinse pump 78 continues in operation. The afore-described interrupted operation of the extraction motor M varies the speed of drum 33 between a lower minimum of rpm. and full extraction speed. The importance of the variable speed of the drum 33 will become more fully apparent hereinafter.

The spray rinse solvent circuit is best illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2. Distilled solvent is drawn from the rinse tank 82 through pump pick-up pipe 81 into the rinse pump 73 whence it is forced into pipe 51 through strainer 79 and check valve Si} into the rotary union 44,. Rotary union 44 directs the flow of rinse solvent into the bore 50 of shaft 32, from there through the central bore 60 into the cylindrical annular space 59, whence the fluid solvent flows through radial ports 61, 62, 63, and 61a, 62a and 63a into the hollow cavities 67, 68, 69 in nozzle holder 66, and 67a, 69a, and 69a in nozzle holder 66a, respectively. From the aforementioned cavities the rinse solvent is forced into bore 70 of spray nozzles 71, 72, 73, and 71a, 72a, and 73a, whence it is emitted in the form of spray through nozzle orifices 77. By reason of the position of the aforesaid nozzle holders within the drum 33, the nozzles 71, 72, 73, and 71a, 72a, and 73a are located to spray solvent completely across the depth of the drum. The amount of distilled solvent sprayed into the drum is controlled by the operation of the pump 78 and only enough solvent is introduced effectively to dilute the soap solvent remaining in the clothes after soap extraction to a concentration of residual soap within optimum dry cleaning limits, i.e., approximately from .3% to 5%. The spray is forced through the clothing and out of the perforated drum into the housing 1%) from which it flows through the outlet 21 into the drain pipe 22, through motor operated valve 85 in diverter piping 84 into the still 85. The solvent is boiled within an evaporating chamber within the still 86, and the resulting vapors are condensed within a condensing chamber therein, and the resulting condensate finally drained through pipe 87 again into the rinse solvent tank 82.

When the time allowed for the spray rinse has expired, the rinse solvent pump 78 is tie-energized and the rinse solvent remaining in the garments or other articles being cleaned is spun out by the high speed of revolution of the drum 33 (approx. 575 rpm.) which continues preferably for a period of two minutes. The drum is then stopped, the motor operated valve $5 is closed, and the motor operated valve 9d is opened. With this final step, the cleaning cycles of the apparatus are completed, and the garments or other articles are removed from the drum 33 for further treatment in separate aparatus, as desired.

It is an advantageous feature of this invention that the improved dry cleaning apapratus, constructed as hereinbefore described, is adaptable to the use of a rinsing cycle spanner entirely separate from the wash cycle. With the valves 90 in diverter piping 84 and 1412 in pipe 99 in closed position and valve 85 in pipe 84 in open position, the rinse pump 78 can be adjusted by suitable electrical controls to operate for a time appropriate to fill the housing or tub 10 to operating level with rinse solvent. The correct amount of soap may be introduced to housing 10 through soap dispenser 17 while the tube is rotating at Wash speed to charge the solvent in the tube to the optimum 3 to soap concentration.

It will be noted in connection with the operation of the spray rinse cycle of the dry cleaning apparatus, as constructed in accordance with this invention, that the location of the spray nozzles and the direction of the drums rotation is such that the solvent particles within the spray pattern are acted upon by four forces, first, the air currents generated by the impeller efiect of the partition or separating Wall 52, second, centrifugal force, third, the peripheral speed of the drum 33, and fourth, the velocity of the spray. Were the aforesaid forces to remain constant, the spray would be directed to one area of the garment blanket, with consequent unsatisfactory rinsing results. In the apapratus as constructed in accordance with this invention, however, although the spray velocity re mains constant, the speed of the drums rotation is varied, so that the air currents Within the drum, the centrifugal force and the peripheral speed of the drum are constantly changing, with the result that the Variances of the aforesaid forces acting upon the spray particles of constant velocity continually shifts the point of spray contact With the garment blanket, thereby providing an even and uniform rinsing throughout the load.

An example of the efficiency and economy of operation of the dry cleaning apparatus as constructed in accordance with this invention, is well illustrated by a comparison of the times of its several cycles with those of a representative two-bath dry cleaning apparatus. A reasonable total cycle time within which acceptable results may be obtained for a thirty pound load in a representative two-bath dry cleaning apparatus has been established to be as indicated in the following table.

The corresponding cycle time within which results of the same acceptable quality may be obtained in the apparatus as constructed and used in accordance with this invention, is as indicated below:

Cycle element: Time, min. Soap wash Soap drain 1% Soap extraction 3 Extraction spray rinse 3 Rinse extraction 2 Total cycle time 19 /2 It will be noted that in the foregoing example the total cleaning cycle for a thiry pound load when cleaned in the apparatus constructed according to this invention has been reduced by 4 /2 minutes. An important advantage of the invention, therefore, is realized by the increased capacity of the apparatus, whereby production may be increased by 4 loads per 8 hour day, or approximately 25 percent.

Another important advantage of the apparatus as constructed according to this invention, lies in the provisions made therein not only for the rinsing of a variety of load sizes, but for the running of rinse only cycles as well.

Moreover, the manner of introduction of the rinse solvent into the drum and the variable speed of the drum itself cooperate to effect a 360 degree coverage of the garment blanket within the drum by the rinse solvent spray, thereby greatly increasing the completeness and thoroughness of the spray rinse operation.

Still another important advantage of the apparatus as constructed according to this invention is realized in the design of the rinse solvent circuit wherein the solvent used for rinsing is directed from the cleaning drum to the solvent still and returned to the rinse storage tank only by distillation. By such constant distillation and by rinsing with distilled solvent only, there is eliminated the need for a rinse filter and for the maintenance of control over the rate of distillation. Moreover, the design eliminates the need for frequent determinations of the concentration of the residual soap contained in the rinse solvent.

Although this invention has been disclosed with reference to specific forms and embodiments thereof, it will be evident that a great number of variations may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. For example, par-ts may be reversed, equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically disclosed, and certain features of the invention may be used independently of other features, all without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a method of rinsing fabric materials previously washed in a dry cleaning solvent containing a soap, the steps which comprise rotating said materials in a foraminous drum at varying speeds, all of said varying speeds being above rpm. to prevent a tumbling action of said materials while directing a spray of freshly distilled dry cleaning solvent against said materials from a rotating source disposed centrally within said drum until the concentration of said soap in the dry cleaning solvent contained in said materials is reduced to a range of about 0.3% to about 0.5% by volume, stopping said spraying and then extracting the rinse solvent from said materials by rotating said drum at a higher speed.

2. In a method of cleaning fabric materials in a rotatable drum, the steps which comprise driving said drum to force said materials against the Walls thereof, directing a spray of newly distilled rinse solvent from a rotating source disposed centrally within said drum towards the walls of said drum and against said materials while simultaneously driving said drum intermittently at speeds in excess of 100 rpm. and then stopping said spray and thereafter driving said drum steadily to extract said solvent from said materials.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 774,025 Barbe Nov. 1, 1904 2,556,490 Chamberlin June 12, 1951 2,676,088 Bilde Apr. 20, 1954 2,757,065 Castner July 31, 1956 2,800,786 Schanz July 30, 1957 2,803,124 Howlett Aug. 20, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 530,042 Canada Sept. 4, 1956 10 's.! new... a 

1. IN A METHOD OF RINSING FABRIC MATERIALS PREVIOUSLY WASHED IN A DRY CLEANING SOLVENT CONTAINING A SOAP, THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISES ROTATING SAID MATERIALS IN A FORAMINOUS DRUM AT VARYING SPEEDS, ALL OF SAID VARYING SPEEDS BEING ABOVE 100 R.P.M. TO PREVENT A TUMBLING ACTION OF SAID MATERIALS WHILE DIRECTING A SPRAY OF FRESHLY DISTILLED DRY CLEANING SOLVENT AGAINST SAID MATERIALS FROM A ROTATING SOURCE DISPOSED CENTRALLY WITHIN SAID DRUM UNTIL THE CONCENTRATION OF SAID SOAP IN THE DRY CLEANING SOLVENT CONTAINED IN SAID MATERIALS IS REDUCED TO A RANGE OF ABOUT 0.3% TO ABOUT 0.5% BY VOLUME, STOPPING SAID SPRAYING 